Mowing-machine.



No. 650,443. vPatented May 29, I900. 39 M. WILLIAMS.

MOWING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 29, 1899.) (N 0 M o d e l NITED 7 STTES MICHAELlVlLLlAMS, OF MADISON, VISCONSIN.

MOWlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.650,443, dated May 29,1900.

Application filed December 29, 1899. Serial No. 741,960. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern:

7 Be it known that I, MIoHAEL WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at'M-adison, in the county of Dane and State oflVisconsin,*have invented a new and useful Mowing-Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in mowing-machines.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofmowing-machines, more especially the pitman connection between thereciprocating cutter-bar and the crank-shaft, and to enable thecutter-bar to reciprocate freely without binding at any inclination.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the pitman connection sothat it will be out of the way and not liable to be injured byobstructions in the path of the mowing-machine.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of amowing-machine provided with a pitman connection constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View illustrating the construction of theguiding mechanism. Fig. 4: is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate correspondingparts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates asupporting-frame to which is hinged or coupled a cuttingapparatus 2 of any desired construction, comprising a reciprocatingcutter-bar 3 and a finger-bar 4. The inner end of the cutter-bar isprovided with a perforated ear or lug 5, which is pivotally connected tothe outer end of a pitman, and the latter is composed of inner and outersections 6 and 7, the outer section being prefen ably about one-fifththe entire length of the pitman. The sections of the pitman are providedat their adjacent ends with a hinge or pivot joint and are adapted tooperate when in alinement or when at an angle to each other. The innerend of the pitman is connected with a crank-shaft 8, disposedlongitudinally of the machine, at one side thereof, and designed to begeared with the axle or with one of the carrying-wheels. The crankshaftis preferably provided at its front end with a crank disk or wheel 9,havingawristpin 10, to which the inner end 11 of the pitman isconnected.

The adjacent ends of the sections of the pitman are connected by a pivot12, passing through a perforation of a depending lug or ear 13 of aslide 14, and the latter reciprocates on a guide 15. The guide 15, whichis disposed longitudinally of the pitman at a point above the same,consists of a bracket or plate provided at opposite sides withprojecting edges or flanges 16 and having a depending arm or flangewhich is secured to the adjacent portion of the supporting-frame. TheWays 16 may be formed in any suitable manner, and the slide, which isarranged on the upper face of the guide, is provided withinwardly-extending flanges 19, located at the lower face of the slideand forming opposite grooves for the reception of the edges of theguide. By arranging the pitman beneath the slide and the guide it is outof the way and is not liable to be injured by obstructions in the pathof the mower. When the crank-shaft is rotated,the slide is reciprocatedby the inner section of the pitman, which is located in advance of thedepending portion or arm 13 and which communicates motion to thecuttor-bar through the outer section of the pitman. The outer section isadapted to oscillate vertically on the pivot of the slide to accommodateitself to the position of the cutting apparatus, which is adapted toadjust itself to the surface of the ground, andthere is no liability ofthe cutter-bar binding through such movement of the cutting apparatus.Any suitable means may be provided for tale ing up the wear of the partsat the pivotal connection to prevent lost motion.

It will be seen that the pitman connection between the reciprocatingcutter-bar and the gearing of the mower-frame issimple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is easily applied to mowers, andthat it provides a flexible pitman which is adapt ed to yield to themovements of the cutting apparatus, whereby the reciprocating cuttersideof the frame and adapted to swing upward and downward, a pitmanextending entirely across the frame from the driving-crank to thecutting apparatus and composed of the,

long inner section 6, extending substantially across the frame from thedriving-crank to a point near the hinge of the cutting apparatus, andthe short outer section pivotallyconnected to the adjacent end of theinner section and extending beyond the hinged joint of the cuttingapparatus to the cutter-bar and pivotally connected with the latter, aslide connected with the pivots of the sections, and a guide mounted onthe frame of the mower and receiving the slide, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the frameof a mower, a reciprocating cutter-bar, and a driving-crank, of a guidemounted on the said frame and extending forward or outward therefrom, apitman passing beneath the guide and connecting the cutter-bar and thecrank, and composed of inner and outer sections pivotally connected,adjacent to the inner end of the cutting apparatus, the outer sectionlying beyond the inner section and a slide arranged on the upper face ofthe guide and provided with a depending ear or lug pivotally connectedwith the inner ends of each of the sections of the pitman, by the pivotof the said sections, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the

; combination with a mower-frame, of a reciprocating cutter-bar, and adriving-crank, of a pitman connecting the cutter-bar and the crank andcomposed of inner and outer sections, pivotally connected adjacent tothe inner end of the cutting apparatus, the outer section lying beyondthe inner section, a guide mounted on the frame and provided with projecting side edges and extending over the inner ends of thepitman-sections, and a slide arranged on the upper face of the guide andprovided at opposite sides with grooves to receive the projecting edgesof the guide and having a depending ear, the pivot of the pitmanconnecting the sections to the ear of the slide, and permitting each ofthe sections to oscillate vertically independently of the reciprocationof the slide, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL WILLIAMS.

Vitnesses ANNIE KOLTES, FRANK KoL'rEs.

